Franco Extends Hitting Tear, Phillies Beat Yankees 11-6

Maikel Franco #7 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a go ahead two run double in the ninth inning against the New York Yankees during their game at Yankee Stadium on June 23, 2015 in New York City. (Credit: Al Bello/Getty Images)

NEW YORK (AP) — Rookie slugger Maikel Franco homered again and had five RBIs for the second straight night at Yankee Stadium, snapping a ninth-inning tie with a two-run double Tuesday that sent the Philadelphia Phillies to an 11-6 victory over New York.

Franco lofted a three-run shot to the short porch in right field and Cameron Rupp hit his first major league homer for the Phillies, who handed lights-out reliever Dellin Betances his first major league loss in 110 career appearances.

Philadelphia, which began the night with the worst record and fewest runs in the majors, has totaled 31 runs while winning three in a row for the first time since a six-game streak May 13-18.

Garrett Jones, Brett Gardner, Chase Headley and Alex Rodriguez homered for New York, which had won 11 of 12 at home before giving up 34 runs while losing its last three.

Pitching for the first time in six days, Betances (4-1) entered in the eighth with a runner on second and struck out consecutive batters to keep it tied.

Ben Revere opened the ninth with a double, though, and Cesar Hernandez was hit by a pitch while squaring to bunt. With the runners going, Franco hit a one-hop smash over the glove of third baseman Headley as he moved in to cover the bag.

Betances plunked another hitter before Andres Blanco lined a bases-loaded triple off Nick Rumbelow, who was making his major league debut.

It was the first time Betances allowed multiple runs in an outing since April 29, 2014. He was charged with four in one inning after bringing a 0.26 ERA into the game.

Franco went 4 for 5 with two homers and five RBIs on Monday night in his first game at Yankee Stadium. The 22-year-old rookie has 10 home runs since May 17 and is 6 for 8 in the first two games of this series.

Hernandez, seizing playing time from slumping Chase Utley at second base, had three hits — including an RBI double.

Ken Giles (3-1) fanned three in a scoreless eighth in a game that took 3 hours, 45 minutes, following a rain delay of 1 hour, 21 minutes, at the start.

Headley and Rodriguez hit consecutive homers off starter Sean O’Sullivan to begin the fifth. Headley’s 100th career long ball ended a drought of 105 at-bats since May 25.

Carlos Beltran chased O’Sullivan with a one-out double and scored the tying run on Chris Young’s two-out double off Elvis Araujo.

Yankees starter CC Sabathia squandered a 3-1 lead in the fourth, when the Phillies put up five runs on a pair of homers for their highest-scoring inning this season.

Rupp’s two-run drive to left-center came down in Philadelphia’s bullpen — presumably making it easier for the 26-year-old catcher to get the ball back as a keepsake.

Jones, filling in at first base for ailing Mark Teixeira, botched Revere’s infield single with two outs. Hernandez singled and Franco hit a pop fly that landed about five rows deep in the right-field corner, near the 314-foot sign, to give Philadelphia a 6-3 lead.

Hurt by homers all season, a frustrated Sabathia bent over at the waist and hung his head as the ball reached the seats. The big lefty has served up 17 long balls in 15 starts spanning 87 2-3 innings.

It was the eighth time in his 12 losses and no-decisions this year that he coughed up a lead, according to STATS.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Phillies: There is a “good possibility” Carlos Ruiz will catch Cole Hamels in the series finale Wednesday afternoon, manager Ryne Sandberg said. Rupp caught the first two games at Yankee Stadium. Hamels missed his previous turn Friday with a strained right hamstring. “He’s supposed to be fine. He had a real good bullpen session. He feels good,” Sandberg said. “And the little extra days off, he should be really fired up and ready to go.” … With a lefty pitching for New York, Utley was on the bench for the third time in five games.

Yankees: Teixeira missed his second consecutive game because of a stiff neck, but hopes to play Wednesday. Teixeira was given an injection Monday. “If he comes in tomorrow and he’s not better, you probably start to worry a little bit,” manager Joe Girardi said. … New York closer Andrew Miller (left forearm) plans to play catch Wednesday.

UP NEXT

Phillies: Hamels (5-5, 2.96 ERA) struck out 12 in seven shutout innings during his most recent start at Pittsburgh. “It’s a good feeling when he takes the mound,” Sandberg said.

Yankees: Ivan Nova returns to the mound nearly 14 months after Tommy John surgery. The right-hander is 40-22 with a 4.20 ERA in his career. He went 1-1 with a 4.02 ERA in three minor league rehab starts, two at Triple-A. Nova has never faced the Phillies, but is 5-0 with a 1.17 ERA in his last seven interleague games (six starts).

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